Dual Shades of Beauty
by Chopper Joe
Summary: After a Smash Tournament, Link, Midna, Fox, and Krystal decide to hang out. (Authors Note: this is technically a SSB fanfiction, but I didn't want to mislead anyone. It is primarily a romance with the four characters mentioned.)
1. Chapter 1

**I'M BACK!**

 **It's been a crazy long time since I've been on this website. Lot's of stuff happened so I didn't even have time to think about this account. Graduated from High School. Parents moved away from home. Started and finished my first college semester at A &M (go aggies!). It was a living nightmare, but I pulled through none the less! **

**With the new and AMAZING Twilight Princess books coming out, my interest in the Link/Midna romance dynamic that dominates so many fan fiction stories was revamped, so I sat down and wrote my first crossover fanfiction with them over the break. Fox and Krystal are two characters I've been writing with for quite some time now, so it only made sense to throw them in with two characters I've NEVER written before just to even things out.**

 **Please note, this is technically a Super Smash Bros fanfiction (it was the most logical environment to place Star Fox and Zelda characters in), but I didn't want to mislead anyone with that. I will most likely do some SSB fanfiction in the future, but this is primarily romance.**

 **Also note, for all my old readers, this is NOT connected with Sons of Legends or any of my previous works. This is a standalone, one-shot short story and nothing more. While I will definitely have more like it in the future, don't take anything here as canon to my AU.**

 **Anyway, that should be everything. If you guys have any questions or suggestions, just shoot me a PM or leave a review. God Bless, Happy New Year, and enjoy the story!**

* * *

Chapter 1

It had been over a month since the smash tournament started. After a long series of hard-fought battles, the finale was approaching, and the championship round was about to begin. Link was readying himself in one of the prep rooms. He starred at his gear spread out over a metal table, making sure he wasn't forgetting anything before the tournament. Midna sat on his shoulder in her imp form, crossing her arms as she checked with him.

"Ah ha! You only got one hook shot," she said, pointing at the device with a triumphant smile, "See? I told you something was missing."

"Alright, but that doesn't count because I wasn't planning on bringing the other one," Link said as he started packing up his gear, "So you still lose the bet."

Midna's smile evaporated.

"What?" she pouted, floating off his shoulder and facing him directly, "That's so unfair! I didn't lose!"

"Oh yes you did," Link replied, striking a small smile at her, "Looks like you owe me fifty rupees."

"Well, you didn't tell me you were only bringing one hook shot, so that doesn't count." She replied, closing her eyes and looking away, "I don't owe you a thing.

"Right, whatever you say…loser."

Midna's eyes widened and she growled at him. Link turned around, looking like he was about to break out laughing. He eventually did once Midna started yanking his hair from behind, calling him names and demanding him to apologize.

"Alright, I'm sorry!" Link said, grinning as he reached back and grabbed her, pulling her in front of him. She glared at him, crossing her arms. "Please forgive me?"

She continued to glare for a couple seconds before sighing and closing her eyes.

"Alright, I'll forgive you this one time," she said, throwing her arms up. She smiled and winked at him, "I guess it's just too hard to stay mad at you."

"Well, when you're the charming white knight of Hyrule, that's to be expected," Link replied, acting smug.

"Oh, sure you are, boy scout," Midna replied, poking his nose, "You can't pretend to be arrogant even when you try."

"What does that make me then?"

"A corny but humble warrior," She answered, darting behind his back and resting her arms on his shoulder, "and that's why I love you."

"Not for my dashing good looks?" he said, leaning his head against her helmet.

"Well that too obviously," she answered, flicking his cheek.

Link chuckled. He starred at her fondly, looking deep into her yellow eye with it's red iris. Midna's smile abruptly disappeared as she titled her head.

"What's with that look?" she asked.

"Nothing. You just look gorgeous today."

"Oh please," she huffed, floating above his shoulder, "My real beauty comes from my normal form, Link."

"I think you look beautiful no matter what. Besides, you seem to have no problem being like this."

"Well, it's more convenient," she replied, rubbing her helmet, "I should thank this thing for that. But I don't do it for the looks."

Link's smile dropped.

"I really meant what I said. Honestly Midna. You're beautiful this way."

"That's sweet of you, but I don't agree," she said, floating behind him again with a smile, "My real form is what's beautiful, ok? You don't have to lie to make me feel secure. I feel perfectly fine like this."

 _"I wasn't lying."_ Link thought to himself.

Before their conversation could continue, someone burst through the door. They both turned to see who had entered.

It was Fox, Link's teammate for the tournament. His face was flustered, and his eyes were filled with a strong mixture of stress and anger.

"There you are!" he said, breathing hard, "What are you doing back here? The match starts in five minutes man!"

"Sorry, I'm coming right now," Link said.

Midna turned into her humanoid form and grabbed his arm before he could run out. She pulled him in for a long kiss, placing a hand behind his head. Link's eyes widened with surprise for a moment, but he quickly returned the gesture, closing his eyes.

"Oh, c'mon guys!" fox groaned, "Can't you do this _after_ we win?"

They parted lips, and Midna placed a hand on his cheek.

"Fight like a champ, wolf boy." She whispered.

Link blushed, turning around to join up with Fox. Both fighters disappeared out the door.

…

The fighters ran through several halls underneath the large stadium, heading for the arena entrance. Link was smiling like a schoolboy on his way to an amusement park.

"Well you certainly look pleased with yourself," Fox said, glaring at Link from the corner of his eye, "I hope it was worth cutting the deadline this close."

"Sorry," Link said, not breaking his smile, "We were checking over my gear and kept getting…distracted."

"You mean you kept flirting with each other," Fox sighed as he shook his head, "See, _that's_ why me and Krystal agreed not to see each other between matches. You got to keep your head in the game right now."

Link shook his head and let his smile fade.

"You're right. Sorry, it's just-

"Hey, when me and Krystal first starting dating, we couldn't leave each other alone," Fox interrupted with a small grin, "I understand the feeling."

"Thanks," Link replied, looking at Fox, "By the way, how are you and Krystal?"

"Wonderful, we can talk more about it later," Fox said as they turned the last corner, "Because the match is dead ahead."

Link looked ahead and saw the light from the entrance.

"You ready?"

"Yeah." Fox smiled confidently at his partner, "Let's not keep our girls waiting long."

Link grinned back and nodded. They both looked forward and ran through the entrance.

When they entered the arena, they were welcomed by a roaring crowd and an announcer. Neither one of them listened to his booming voice or the cheers of the thousands of onlookers. Instead, they both starred at their opponents, the infamous bounty hunter duo Captain Falcon and Samus Aran. The captain struck a smug smile while Samus cocked her weapon. Fox got into his fighting position with one leg in front of the other while Link pulled out his sword and shield.

"You take the Falcon. I'll deal with Mrs. Arm Cannon." Fox ordered.

"Good idea," Link agreed, eying his target.

Up in one of the VIP Boxes, Zelda and Peach watched the battle with eager anticipation. Zelda had her hands clasped, making a silent prayer throughout the match. Midna emerged from the shadows in her imp form, causing the guards to jump with surprise.

"Relax boys, it's me." Midna said, floating right between the princesses.

Zelda turned and smiled when she saw her old friend.

"It's good to see you again." She said politely, shaking Midna's hands.

"I'm glad to be here," Midna answered, turning and looking at the arena, "Though I wish I could be down there helping him."

"It's a shame they wouldn't let you assist," Zelda nodded in agreement, looking somewhat embarrassed, "I tried my best to convince the minister, but-

Midna laughed, cutting her off.

"Don't sweat it princess. Besides, he'll do fine on his own. And he's got a really good fighter already backing him up."

"Indeed!" Princess Peach nodded, "Fox has been quite impressive during this tournament, hasn't he?"

"They both have," Midna leaned her arm on the railing and rested her chin on her palm.

Down in the arena, Fox and Link had traded targets. Samus unleashed a barrage of shots at Link while he charged at her, taking every single ball with his shield. When he got close enough he began swinging, but Samus dodged each attack, reverting between her morph ball and her normal form. Finally, Samus used her flamethrower on him and Link took the advantage to swipe at her cannon, rendering it useless. Samus shouted in pain and jumped back, holding her now gashed weapon that was sparking electricity. Without hesitation, she pressed a few buttons on the device, and the rest of her suit fell right off her body, revealing her skin-tight jump suit and head. She pulled out her paralyzer and whipped the yellow rope with a large _crack,_ preparing to counterattack. Link turned his sword over in his hand and pressed the offensive.

Meanwhile, Fox was locked in deadly hand-to-hand combat with Captain Falcon. The two were exchanging quick, powerful blows, but it was obvious the captain was slightly stronger. Fox had a speed advantage however, and he used it to dodge the captain's more powerful blows. The fight hit its climax when the captain finally got impatient with his evasive target and threw a devastating Falcon Punch. Rather than jumping back, Fox stood his ground and at the very last second before the punch was thrown, tilted his body backwards while simultaneously delivering a kick to the captain's jaw. The counterattack dazed the captain just long enough for Fox to hit him with a spinning jump kick right to the face, knocking him clear out of bounds. The crowd cheered.

Samus was taken aback by her partners defeat, and Link used the distraction to tackle her with his shield, pinning her to ground while holding his Master Sword right to her neck. She grimaced, closing her eyes tightly.

"Give up," he said, breathing hard.

After a couple seconds, she let out a frustrated sigh.

"I yield…" she said disappointingly.

Link stood up, and the crowd went wild. He sheathed his sword and shield before helping Samus to her feet. She immediately went to check on the captain, who was struggling to stand on his own. Fox walked up to his partner and they fist bumped, gasping for air with gaping grins.

"Looks like your plan worked," Fox said, putting his hands on his hips as he looked up into the sky, "Good thing you paid better attention during the fight than I did."

"Oh yeah right," Link let out a weak laugh, leaning on his knees, "I only defeated her because you gave me an opening right there."

Midna emerged from Links shadow and hugged him, almost tackling him to the ground.

"You fought viciously," she said with a wicked little smile and voice.

Link's face turned red with that. He desperately wanted to hug and kiss her right there, but thought better on it with the surrounding crowds. The minister came down on a floating platform with a mic in his hand. He hurried up his congratulations and gave the winners their medals, knowing they were eager to leave and get some rest. They thanked the minster, shook hands with their disgruntled but good sported opponents, and headed for the exit.

Link, Fox, and Midna walked through the hallway, the former two absolutely exhausted from the battle. Midna floated between them, deciding not to sit on Links bruised shoulder.

"That last attack was way too freaking close," Fox said, sounding disappointed with himself, "I'll be honest, I didn't even know if I could dodge it or not. He could've launched me towards the wall of the stadium."

"Seems like you knew what you were doing," Midna commented.

"He did," Link noted, nudging his partners shoulder, "He's just being critical of his own performance, as usual."

"No, I'm being dead serious. I almost pissed my pants back there," Fox said, looking at Link, "The captain's one terrifying guy."

"Well, you pulled off a great counterattack," Midna said, winking at Fox, "You did good, fur ball. I'm glad my wolf boy got paired with you."

"Wolf boy?" Fox asked with amused surprise.

Link blushed slightly.

"Uh, Midna? Can you not call me that when we're around others?"

"Aw, what's wong wittle fluffy woofy?" Midna said with an exaggerated voice, crushing Link's cheeks, "Am I ambawasing you in fwont of your fwiend?"

Fox started laughing hysterically, and Link begged Midna to stop. Before she could humiliate Link any further, a voice from down the hallway caught everyone's attention.

"Foxy!" it cried.

Everyone looked and saw a blue furred vixen running towards them. Fox's muzzle immediately widened into a large, beaming grin as he started running towards her. They met, and Fox lifted her up, spinning her around laughing.

"Oh, you did so wonderfully!" Krystal closed her eyes while pressing her forehead against his, "I'm so proud of you Foxy!"

Fox chuckled nervously, nuzzling her as he lowered her to the ground. Midna and Link looked on, smiling.

Suddenly, without warning, Fox grimaced in pain, gripping his left side as he dropped to his knees. Krystal shouted his name as she knelt with him. Fox and Midna's smiles vanished as they both approached him.

"What's wrong?" Krystal asked with concern, placing a hand on Fox's cheek.

"Nothing," Fox smiled in pain as he slowly stood with her, still gripping his side, "Just a bruise from one of the caps kicks. I'm fine, but just in case, I'll pay Dr. Mario a visit."

"Here, I'll walk with you," Krystal said, grabbing one of his hands as she wrapped her other arm around his back, "Do you need a stretcher?"

"No, no it's okay. Let's not cause a scene."

Krystal nodded and looked over her shoulder at the others.

"I'll take him from here. Do you guys wanna meet up later?"

"Sure, just give us a call," Link nodded.

Krystal looked forward and started walking with Fox. Link thought about going with them just to make sure he was okay.

"He'll be fine," Midna said with a smile, snapping her finger hand against Link's head, "That old fox's taken worse hits. Don't worry about him."

"Yeah…yeah, you're right," Link said, feeling better as he smiled back at her, "I'm going to head to the shower."

"Go wash up, wolf boy," she said, chuckling as she nudged him, "You're a sweaty mess.

Link started walking down the hall, and Midna watched him leave with a small smile.

"And don't keep me waiting long," she said to herself.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Fox let out a sharp grunt as Dr. Mario applied a bandage to his bruise, inhaling deeply as he closed his eyes. Krystal sat on the bed next to him, holding his hand.

"You've got the luck of the gods," Krystal said as Mario applied the last piece of tape, "Just a little harder and the captain might have broken all of your ribs."

"Yeah, well I don't feel all that lucky," Fox commented as Mario and Krystal helped him up to his feet.

"Thanks for patching him up," Krystal said, smiling at Mario while Fox put his jacket back on. The doctor nodded, giving a thumbs up while closing his eyes.

Without warning, Midna suddenly appeared out of Mario's shadow, causing him to shout and fall on his butt in comical fashion.

"Sorry for interrupting, but can I have a word with you two?" Midna asked, barely acknowledging Mario's presence.

"Uh, sure thing," Fox answered, looking past Midna at Mario, "You alright?"

Mario nodded as he stood up, rubbing his bum. The other three left the room, and Midna turned around to face them.

"How about we celebrate the victory tonight?'" she asked, crossing her arms grinning.

"Celebrate?" Fox asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Seems like the perfect occasion, unless you had other plans."

Fox looked at Krystal for confirmation. She simply shrugged her shoulders with a pleasant look of surprise.

"We weren't planning on anything special," she said.

"What did you have in mind?" Fox asked, looking back at Midna.

"There's a nice rental mansion about thirty miles away from Nintendo Plaza. What do you say? Wanna spend the night with your fellow champ and his partner?"

Fox placed a hand underneath his chin, thinking about the idea.

"Well, originally we were just going to find a hotel for the night," he said, smiling at Krystal, "But if we can get a nicer place for free with our friends, I don't see why not."

"Yeah, that's a great idea!" Krystal beamed as her tail wagged, however her enthusiasm faded as she thought of something else, "But if it's a private mansion, I can't imagine the cost being very cheap."

"One of my closest friends is the princess of Hyrule," Midna said, placing her hands behind her helmet in a casual fashion, "Trust me. I can get us some reservations."

"Then I guess we're in," Fox said, crossing his arms, "What are the details?"

"I actually don't have any…yet," Midna answered, "To be honest, I just came up with this on the fly because I remembered the mansion. Link doesn't even know about it."

Both Fox and Krystal looked surprised at that.

"Shouldn't you talk to him first?" Krystal asked.

"Oh, he'll be fine with it," Midna smiled, "Trust me."

…

Link closed his eyes as he let the cool water from the showerhead wash over his body like a brisk waterfall. After a hot battle in the sun, the feeling brought on was one of absolute relief. He leaned forwards, resting his arm against the shower wall as he let the water run down his back. He simply stood there in total bliss before grabbing the shampoo, rubbing a pound of dust out of his hair. He then grabbed the sponge and ran it down each of his arms. It felt rough and soft against his skin, combining with the soap to give a relaxing, massaging sensation that helped ease his tense muscles. There were very few sensations that beat the feeling of a nice shower after some rough physical activity, whether it be a tough workout or an intense battle.

Link's moment was ruined by a familiar yet unexpected voice saying,

"Hey wolf boy, up here."

Link gasped and looked up over the shower. Midna was floating right above the curtain rod, looking down at him. Link swore, pulling the shower curtain to cover himself.

"WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING!?" he cried, turning red as a rose.

"What?" she asked, throwing her hands up, "I just need to talk to you about something."

"Well can't you see I'm a _little_ busy right now?" he said, turning away from her, "You could have at least knocked!"

"Well I didn't. And why are you covering yourself?" Midna asked, putting her hands on her hips, "You've got nothing to hide from me.

"What about my privacy!?" Link's voice cracked.

"Oh please," Midna asked, low-eyed, "What privacy? You do realize you're technically naked with me when you're a wolf, right?"

"No, that is _not_ the same thing." Link said with an assertive voice.

"Alright, alright, I'll turn around," Midna said, rolling her eyes as she looked away.

"Thank you," Link said, sighing as he dropped the curtain, "Now what was so important that you had to barge in on my shower?"

"Oh, I asked Fox and Krystal if they wanted to spend the night with us at the Old Mansion close to Nintendo Plaza. You remember it, right?"

Link thought for a minute and nodded.

"Yeah, I think I know what you're talking about."

"And I was thinking we could hang out with them over there tonight," Midna explained, "Maybe watch a movie, order some food. Just kick back and relax. I think you and Fox have earned it."

"That does sound heavenly, but didn't we plan to go back to Hyrule with Zelda after the match?" Link asked, looking over his shoulder.

"I'll tell her the plan's changed then. Do you want to see her before we go?"

"Nah, I'll see her when we get back, but I do need to pack some clothes for the night."

"Leave that to me. I'll tell the others you're on board," Midna was about to exit, but she stopped and said, "Oh, and Link?"

"Yeah?"

Midna winked and gave a thumbs-up.

"You look great."

She disappeared into one of the shadows as Link blushed slightly. A few seconds later he huffed, shaking his head with a small smile.

After roughly ten minutes, Link climbed out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. He started walking towards the lockers on the other side of the wall when Fox entered the room.

"How's the injury?" Link asked as he opened his locker.

"Nothing I can't handle," Fox said as he started to strip his clothes, "Doc gave me a bandage and told me to be on the look-out for pain. Guess I should be lucky nothing's broken."

Fox finished stripping and climbed into one of the showers, turning on the water.

"So, because we couldn't talk beforehand, I guess I'll just ask you now," Link raised his voice over the water, "How are things with you and Krystal?"

"As good as they can be, I guess. Honestly, I couldn't be a happier man."

"Do you guys _ever_ fight?" Link asked as he finished drying himself off.

"Of course. Every couple does. It's just a matter of how each partner deals with it."

"I can't believe that," Link answered with a smile as he ran the towel through his hair, "You guys always seem so kind to each other."

"Are you wondering because you're experiencing some trouble yourself? If you don't mind me asking."

"Not at all," Link replied, putting the towel down as he put on his clothes, "No, me and Midna rarely fight. I mean, we like to tease each other, but it never amounts to anything dramatic or emotionally hurtful…if that's how you would describe it."

"So there's nothing particularly bothering you?"

"Of course not," Link answered, but then he thought for a second, "Well, there was one thing that kind of pricked my eyebrow a little bit."

Fox turned off the shower and poked his soaked head out the drapes.

"You willing to talk about it?" he asked curiously.

"It wasn't anything serious," Link shrugged his shoulders, "I told her she looked gorgeous while she was in her imp form, and she dismissed it immediately, telling me she was beautiful in her human form only. I tried telling her I was being honest, but she just blew it off."

"Ah," Fox said, nodding his head with a sympathetic smile, "I understand."

"What do you think about it?" Link asked, now a little concerned.

"Well let me ask you a question first. Do you think she looks pretty like that?"

"Of course!" Link answered eagerly, "Not a doubt in my mind!"

Fox looked at Link for a second and closed his eyes, grinning.

"You're quite a guy Link," Fox said as he disappeared behind the curtain.

"So, what's your opinion?"

"Honestly, I have no idea how to approach this situation," Fox answered as he turned the water back on, "The mind of a woman can be a mysterious landscape for any man. You just need to understand that she views herself differently from you in certain aspects."

"I don't want her to feel insecure."

"This is Midna we're talking about. You really think she struggles with much insecurity? Maybe a little, but nothing glaringly noticeable, not from my eyes at least."

"Did Krystal ever…" Link stopped, thinking he was going a little too far, "Never mind, you don't have to-"

"She never dealt with it that much," Fox answered anyway, "And if she did, a quick compliment or a peck on the cheek always brightened her up. But Krystal's a different woman from Midna, Link. Don't take her as an accurate comparison."

Link thought for a couple more seconds before shaking his head, smiling.

"Ah, I'm thinking about it too much," he said, "You're right. She's fine. I shouldn't be so concerned."

"Now hold on a second," Fox replied with a more serious tone, "I never said that. You shouldn't just blow something off if it's concerning you. Midna's a tough nut, but if you think you two need to have an honest conversation about insecurity, go for it."

"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind."

Fox could tell that Link was getting uncomfortable and decided to change the topic.

"How are you guys doing regardless of that?"

"We're doing great actually," Link said as he sat down on one of the benches, "I didn't know how things would go at first, but it turns out she really loves me. Sometimes I feel kind of guilty about it, like I don't really deserve her. Do you know what I mean?"

"Oh, all too well," Fox chuckled, "Learning to man up and love without regret was probably the biggest hurdle I had when we first started dating. It's almost like she was too perfect for me, a goddess without faults. At least, that's what I'd say at the time, but I think it was mostly fear of losing her that made me feel so guilty, like I was putting her life in danger by keeping her in Star Fox. At the end of the day though, I just had to accept the fact that she had to make her own choices regardless of my concerns. And she chose to join Star Fox and fall in love with the biggest fool in the Lylat System."

"Now I don't think I doubt myself _that_ much." Link said with a small laugh.

"Good!" Fox replied, smiling to himself, "Then you're one step ahead of me in that regard."

"I'm sorry if it sounded like I was bragging."

"You weren't. I noticed it as well a while back. You loved her without fear from the start. I admired that."

"Is there anything else you noticed? Any flaws?"

"None that I can think of," Fox laughed, "But not everything is surface level. You need to figure out your own flaws yourself. I can't do it for you."

Link interlocked his fingers as he looked down at the floor, looking deep in thought.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Krystal rested on Fox's lap as they both watched the television on a long couch. A few feet away from them, Midna was leaning on Link's shoulder, on the verge of falling asleep. An old western film played on the screen, and a few boxes of Goomba's Pizza sat opened and half-eaten on the coffee table along with a couple cans of pop. Fox yawned as he ran his hand through Krystal's hair. Link wrapped his arm around Midna's shoulder, leaning his head against hers. Midna turned her head and smiled at him, looking deep into his blue eyes.

"We should do this more often," she whispered to him, placing a hand on his chest.

Link smiled back, kissing her hair.

After the movie was over, everyone got up and cleaned up their mess. When they were done, they moved to their rooms on the mansion's second floor. Fox crashed on their king-sized bed the moment he brushed his teeth, taking off his shirt with a satisfied sigh. He lifted the bandage to see how his minor injury had healed. The bruise looked much less violet, but Fox decided to leave it on.

"Looking better?" Krystal asked as she walked out the bathroom, brushing her teeth with her pink PJs on.

"Much better," Fox answered, resting his head back against the pillows as he closed his eyes.

Krystal walked back into the bathroom, and Fox could hear her spit, followed by the faucet running. Krystal walked back into the bedroom and pounced on the bed, cupping his face in her hands with a large grin.

"My Foxy all tuckered out?" she asked, scratching behind his ear.

Fox smiled, not opening his eyes.

"You could say that."

Krystal moved down his body and started massaging the area around Fox's wound, soothing any lingering pain. He inhaled and exhaled deeply as she did, burying his head more deeply into the pillows.

"How's that?" she asked softly.

"Amazing," Fox answered, opening one eye, "Now it really feels better."

Krystal chuckled, moving up to his head and placing her forehead against his own. Slowly but surely, Krystal created a mind-link between them both, feeling all his emotions. She could sense his peace and relaxation, but there was a small hint of concern there as well. Krystal opened her eyes and asked,

"Something bothering you?"

"So, you felt it huh," Fox grinned, opening his eyes as well, "I was just thinking. How are we gonna repay them for something like this?"

"What do you mean?" Krystal asked, sitting up, "It's not like they asked for anything in return."

"I know, but don't you feel…obligated?" Fox sat up as well, "I mean, this is a huge favor. They saved us a lot of time and trouble. Plus, this place is incredible."

"Well, I'm sure we can think of something for the future," Krystal said, grabbing his hand, "And if not, I don't think they'll hold it against us. I think we should just accept this as a gift for now."

Fox nodded in agreement, and Krystal felt his concern fade away considerably. She kissed him, nuzzling her head below his chin as she wrapped her arms around his back. Fox smiled as he hugged her back, and they both lied down in each other's embrace.

…

Midna waited out on the balcony while Link was preparing for bed behind her. She starred out into the dark night of the forest, being reminded of her kingdom back in the Twilight Realm. Her mind filled with light and dark memories, creating a feeling of strong serenity. She closed her eyes and bowed her head, taking in the cool midnight air.

"Thinking about home?"

Midna opened her eyes and looked over her shoulder. Link was leaning his arm against the door frame, smiling. He had taken off his hat and tunic, wearing only his white shirt and brown pants. Midna smiled back at him.

"Sometimes at night I get reminded of it," she said with a low voice, walking back into the bedroom.

Link closed the balcony doors behind her. A few seconds later, Midna felt his arms wrap tightly around her own from behind, locking them against her body. She shouted with surprise as he pulled her closer to himself.

"What are you doing?" she laughed, looking over her shoulder.

"Try to break free," Link said with a giddy smile.

She giggled before trying to shake him off, telling him to let go. She swayed back and forth before link lifted her up in the air, causing her to laugh even more. He fell on his back onto the bed, still holding her as she squirmed and laughed.

Next thing he knew, Link was no longer holding onto her as his arms became empty. He looked down in confusion until he felt her imp form wrap her legs around his neck, pulling his hair.

"Now _you_ break free!" she said with a wicked smile.

Link reached back to grab her, but she evaded for a solid minute before he finally succeeded, pulling her to his chest as she continued laughing. Without thinking, Link grabbed her cheeks and kissed her passionately, closing his eyes.

When he pulled his lips away and opened his eyes, Midna wasn't smiling. She was gapping at him with wide eyes, as if she had caught Link cheating on her. His smile disappeared immediately as he realized what he'd done.

"W-what are you doing!?" Midna yelled, pulling away from him.

"I'm sorry!" Link shouted, sitting up as she floated off him, turning around, "I didn't mean to-

"Yeah, you absolutely didn't!" she growled, turning around with a red-hot face, "Don't ever do that again, understand!?"

"But…why not?" Link asked, changing his strategy as he remembered what Fox had told him, "Midna, you don't have to-

"Shut up!" Midna yelled, turning around again as she floated towards the door, "And don't talk to me right now."

"Midna…" Link sat up from the bed, but Midna's hair stretched out to him and extended into a hand, telling him to go no further. Link obliged and sat back down as Midna headed out the door. The hand followed and slammed the door behind her. Link closed his eyes, leaning his head down as he ran his hands through his hair.

On the other side of the door, Midna grabbed her arms and closed her eyes tightly. She tried her best to keep a strong face, but it didn't take long before she broke out in tears. She collapsed on the floor, trying to keep her voice down so Link wouldn't hear. She cried and cried, curling up into a ball while burying her face into her knees.

"Midna?"

Midna wiped her eyes and looked up, seeing Krystal standing a few feet away from her. The vixen looked down with deep concern.

"What happened?" she asked, walking over to her and resting on her knees, "I heard yelling. Did you guys have a fight?"

Midna closed her eyes and looked away. Krystal wiped her cheeks.

"You can tell me." She said, smiling.

Midna sighed and bent her head down.

"We didn't have a fight…not really at least." Midna said as she sniffled, wiping her eyes.

"So, what was it?"

"It was Link," Midna said, closing her eyes tightly as they began tearing up again, "He…he kissed me while I was like this. While I was an imp."

Krystal said nothing. She simply nodded slowly.

"And that made you feel uncomfortable."

"No," Midna answered, opening her eyes again, "It made me feel guilty."

Krystal cocked her head in confusion.

"Link loves me so much," she said, burying her face into her knees again, "And he's the most amazing guy in the world that I know I don't deserve. I've known that the day he opened himself up to me. He shouldn't…he shouldn't have to love an imp too."

"Oh Midna," Krystal sighed, lifting her face to meet her eyes with a kind smile, " _Look_ at me.

Midna's eyes widened slightly as she stopped crying. Krystal's smile alone managed to shatter much of her self-doubt, but she could also feel her telepathic influence as well, softening her hardened mind. It was an aura very similar to the one Zelda emitted, but more familiar in a strange way.

"This form doesn't define you any more than your other form," she continued, "You understand that? Imp or not, you're still the same Midna, the strong-headed, strong-willed, and beautiful Twilight Princess."

Midna's eyes lowered again. Despite all of Krystal's loving influence, she was till filled with some regret.

"I know that but…" Midna looked down.

"You don't have to talk to me," Krystal said, "But you should see him. Tell him the truth. Tell him how you feel."

Midna thought for a second until she opened her eyes again. She hugged Krystal's neck.

"Tell him I'll be on the roof," she mumbled.

She let go and faded into one of the shadows. Krystal stood up and walked over to their room, knocking on the door.

"Link?" she called out, "It's Krystal."

A couple seconds later, the door unlocked and swung open. Link stood with a look of absolute confliction.

"Hey…" he said, looking down as he scratched the back of his head, "Did we wake you?"

"It's alright," she said reassuringly, "Midna's waiting for you on the roof. She told me what happened."

"Yeah…ugh, I was so stupid!" Link yelled, running his hands through his hair "I should've-

"Just talk over it with her," Krystal said, placing a paw on his shoulder, "She isn't mad at you Link. She's just feeling a bit overwhelmed."

Link said nothing and simply nodded. He quickly thanked her before walking away. Krystal watched him walk up the staircase, holding her hands together.

"You two are great for each other," she whispered, smiling, "You'll figure this out."

…

Midna looked down at her feet in her humanoid form, letting the cool breeze blow through her hair. She had stopped crying, but the lasting sense of guilt refused to leave her body. She starred into the night sky, but those old familiar memories were no longer good and bad. Now they were all nothing but misery, memories of her losing her kingdom to Zant and being curse by his magic. These things were long since resolved of course, but the scars they left never seemed to fade away. Midna closed her eyes, clutching her chest.

A familiar whimper caught Midna's attention. She looked over her shoulder and saw Link in his wolf form, looking at her with his head bowed low and his ears down. Without hesitation, Midna sighed with relief and walked over to him. She hugged his furry neck, closing her eyes.

"I'm so sorry I yelled," she said, placing a hand underneath his jaw while she starred into his eyes. She than pressed her forehead against his own, and they both closed their eyes. While doing so, Midna reverted to her imp form, and she pulled her head away, smiling. Link licked her cheek, causing her to giggle.

They both walked to the edge of the mansion and sat down. Midna let her legs hang over the edge while Link merely sat like a dog, looking down into the forest.

"I love you," she said, looking at Link, "You know that, right?"

Link nodded.

"I'm didn't mean to get so mad back there. The thing is, ever sense we fixed the helmet and I recovered it's power…along with some of the curse…I've tried my absolute best to grow into it. So, I spent more time in it, tried using its abilities more often. And I did all of that because I knew this thing gave me power, power I could use to protect my people…to help you," Midna looked at him, "But this form brings back a lot of pain too. A lot of regret." Midna looked away again, "However, I know I should just accept it and move on. I've been trying to do that. I shouldn't have overreacted."

"No…" Link said with his deeper wolf voice, and Midna looked at him curiously, "This wasn't your fault. I should've been more considerate about your feelings, especially after what you told me earlier this evening. Later Fox even told me not to just let this thing slide and that I should talk to you, but I didn't." Link closed his eyes and let his head hang low, "I had every opportunity to avoid hurting you, and I still did."

"You didn't hurt me Link," Midna said, grabbing one of his paws, "Really. I was just taken way off guard and acted out my feelings with no restraint. That's all.

The two of them sat in silence for a few minutes, looking out into the darkness.

"So…you really did mean it?" Midna asked.

"Mean what?"

"You think I look beautiful like this?" Midna half-smiled like it was a joke.

Fox smiled back at her.

"Absolutely stunning."

"Why though?" she asked, "Your jaw dropped the first time you saw my real form. You still think _this_ is pretty?"

"Way I see it, there's more than one type of beauty," Link answered, looking down into the forest, looking like he was trying to come up with an explanation, "I suppose… well, I guess it's like this." Link turned and looked at her, "Your real form is like the blazing sun or a field of daisies." Link then turned and looked at the moon, "This form is more like the moon up there in the sky. Maybe it isn't as bright, colorful, or appealing at first glance, but the more you study it and appreciate it for what it reflects, then you start to understand what really makes it beautiful."

"And what does this form reflect in me?"

"Your will," Link smiled at her, "Every time I see you like this, it reminds me that you have total determination. And that's what really makes you beautiful Midna. That's what I always loved in you.

Midna smiled softly, closing her eyes with a small blush. She floated up and sat on Link's back, getting a look of surprise from him.

"C'mon," she said eagerly, patting his sides, "Let's go for a run. It's been a while."

Link grinned and got on all fours, stepping back from the edge. He jumped, getting a shout of excitement from Midna as he descended onto one of the trees, landing on a branch. The branch bended towards the ground from his weight, and Link hopped off and began running down the stone path. Midna clutched his fur in her hands, smiling.

 _"I'm glad I fell in love with you, wolf boy."_ She thought to herself.

They ran through the darkness for half an hour before finding a place in the forest to rest. Link curled his body around Midna who rested her head on his fur. They both fell soundly asleep.

THE END


End file.
